Centennial vs. Mission Viejo football playoff game feels like ‘public school Superbowl’

A fitting way to describe the upcoming high school football quarterfinal between Mission Viejo and Corona Centennial? Think of it as a heavyweight showdown—perhaps with Michael Buffer booming:

“In one corner, a powerhouse that’s dominated Southern Section’s top division for decades, led by 5-star QB Husan Longstreet and coach Matt Logan: Corona Centennial!”

“In the other, the unbeaten juggernaut with a fierce two-QB system and defensive star Jaden Williams, one of the nation’s top sack leaders: the 10-0 Mission Viejo Diablos!”

Maybe not quite a boxing match, but you could certainly call it the “Southern California Public School Super Bowl.”

Centennial coach Matt Logan laughed and admitted, “I guess it’s fair to put it that way.”

Corona Centennial (8-2) will take on Mission Viejo (10-0) in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals this Friday night, pitting two of SoCal’s top public school programs against each other. (Who’s your pick?)

Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson commented, “Calling it the public school Super Bowl is an exaggeration. But I will say this: I think the three best teams in California—Mater Dei, Centennial, and us—are on the same side of the Division 1 bracket.”

This will mark the third Division 1 playoff matchup between the two teams, but there’s something different about this year’s game.

“I think it’s because we’re the underdog,” Centennial’s coach, Logan, said. “That’s new for us.”

Logan may have a point—Calpreps predicts Mission Viejo will win 35-28. Notably, it’s also Centennial’s first opening playoff game on the road since 2005.

“We’ve played in these types of games for years. We know what to expect, and our fan base shows up,” Logan said. “It should be exciting.”

In 2022, Mission Viejo defeated Centennial in the quarterfinals 31-28, but then lost to St. John Bosco in the semifinal, 41-6. The year before, Centennial won 62-16 in their first-round matchup.

“It’s the Division 1 playoffs. We have to be prepared for anything,” Johnson added.

Centennial has been a powerhouse among public school programs for the past decade. Last season, they narrowly lost to St. John Bosco in the semifinals, 43-42. Recently, Mission Viejo has also emerged as a strong contender.

“We’re not just trying to be the best public school football program; we’re aiming to be the best, period,” said Johnson.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Corona Centennial

Mission Viejo